Face-to-Face

My Grampy taught me so much about what it means to love God with everything.  I always said, growing up, that my Grampy was the clearest image of Jesus I had ever seen in a person.  The day before yesterday, he went to be face-to-face with Him.  

I'll never forget one Sunday, when I was a very little girl, and we were visiting Grampy and Grammy’s church.  Someone was singing about how amazing God is, and Grampy was on his knees with his face in his hands.  Grampy, the tall and strong farmer, pastor, teacher.  At first glance, in my youthful wonder, it looked like his soft white beard was unraveling through his fingertips.  As I continued to stare, I realized that he was weeping.  I just sat there, gazing at this beautiful man who was so unashamed and in awe of his Savior.  I watched as a stream of tears poured through his hands, and I wanted to love Jesus like that.  I still want to love Jesus like that.  

Among his many gifts, Grampy was a writer.  He penned this poem a few years ago, and it captures such a lovely image of the confidence he had in his relationship with God, and of his hope and expectancy of the beautiful joy that he has now passed into.  

Magical Christmas

There’s magic in the air tonight,

A mystic, bright expectancy

That bathes reality in transformed light,

And brooks of no reluctantcy.

Reindeer fly and snow men dance,

Sleigh bells ring for those whose ear

Is tuned to young romance,

And birds outsing their time of year.

We sing of friendship, love, and peace;

We look beyond our desperate grasp

For hope and joy that will not cease

Fulfilling dreams that will not pass.

Yet, oh how soon these scenes are left!

Our lives return with restless haste 

To work routine of joy bereft

And all our hopes have gone to waste.

To practice magic is a slight of hand;

Deceives the naïve, trustful eye and mind

While waving the magician’s wand

That hides and leaves the truth behind.

If we would find true Christmas joy

And living peace that really lasts

We must employ another means

That neither shade nor image casts.

By faith we seize God’s priceless gift,

An endless close relationship

That has no shadows that can shift,

But love and blest companionship.

(c) Robert Fidler, December 14, 2007

Thank you, Grampy.  We love you.